Champions League 2009-2010

**EAFC_rdfl** · 27/08/2009, 7:55 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Stupidity of the highest order to take a shirt off when on a yellow. It's not as if it's a natural reaction anyway after scoring a goal. "Oh, I've scored. I must take my shirt off!". Clown.

I would blame the player rather than the ref! From the angle from behind at normal speed it looks like a peno. The other angles show differently. It always surprises me that if the last defender takes down a forward it's a red card but if the forward dives to get a peno, it's a yellow. The only way to help stamp this out is to impose a three match ban by review committees after the match if the forward is faking. Cheating of the highest order

Willo Flood was like a man possessed when he came on and did very well but it would be impossible to keep that energy level going for more than 20 minutes.

is that not what i said? Apologies if you are simply agreeing with me. And i certainly agree with your views on post-match punishments for this cheating.
Id lost interest by the time Flood came on, but he did seem to be everywhere! Has never impressed me and it was dissapointing that a player of that standard was what strachan thought would help retain the title last season

**shakermaker1982** · 27/08/2009, 8:47 AM

Stuttgart cost me a 20-1 accumulator last night. Not impressed. 8 games and got 7 correct. I could cry.

**DeLorean** · 27/08/2009, 9:05 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

The only way to help stamp this out is to impose a three match ban by review committees after the match if the forward is faking

I think they like the controversy to be honest. They're all full of sh!t with their fair play banners and pre-match handshakes and all this racket but there's no punishments dished out. It's the easiest thing in the world to sort out. Like you say review committees and bans are the way to go and I'd nearly think a longer ban than 3 matches would be appropriate. Cheating is surely a bigger crime than bringing some fella down when you're the last man.

**Infadel** · 27/08/2009, 10:09 AM

Is the draw on for the champions league this evening?

**tetsujin1979** · 27/08/2009, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Infadel

Is the draw on for the champions league this evening?

yeah, at 5. Live on rte.ie, uefa.com and skysports.com

**shakermaker1982** · 27/08/2009, 11:49 AM

I'd love to see this:

Chelsea/Liverpool
Madrid
Fiorentina
Wolfsburg

**DeLorean** · 27/08/2009, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

I'd love to see this:

Chelsea/Liverpool
Madrid
Fiorentina
Wolfsburg

Would think Chelsea/Liverpool and Real would still come through that handy enough. Wolfsburg look by far the best of the 4th seeds alright though. This would be tough:-

Chelsea/Liverpool/United/Arsenal
Juventus/Inter Milan
Atletico Madrid
Wolfsburg

**gustavo** · 27/08/2009, 4:39 PM

So far these stick out

Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus
Group C: Milan, Real Madrid
Group F: Barcelona, Inter

**DeLorean** · 27/08/2009, 4:40 PM

Hopeless draw really. All the English teams are through already and it's only half way through. The other groups are good alright.

**gustavo** · 27/08/2009, 4:44 PM

Why is it hopeless?
Some great games there to look forward to !

**DeLorean** · 27/08/2009, 5:02 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

Why is it hopeless?
Some great games there to look forward to !

Liverpool's group turned out competitive enough I suppose but when I saw the state of play after the 2nd seeds were pulled the level of interest for the English teams looked crap.

MAN UTD / CSKA MOSCOW
CHELSEA / PORTO
LIVERPOOL / LYON
ARSENAL / AZ

Hardly mouth watering. The other groups were a different story though...

BAYERN / JUVE
AC MILAN / REAL MADRID
BARCELONA / INTER

**MeathDrog** · 28/08/2009, 1:31 AM

Why are our beloved Big Four all in the top seeding?? Don't FIFA/UEFA want to establish more equilibrium?

Fcuk seedings. Just stick them all in a pot, and if Group A happens to contain Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal, then tough sh*t.

UEFA - full of sh*t.

The Champions League is a con job. It contains neither all the Champions of Europe, nor is it a League. It is a money making machine for UEFA.

While UEFA frown upon English dominance in Europe, they are still more than willing to accomodate them with easy groups in order to pull more money with more meaningless matches.

**OwlsFan** · 28/08/2009, 6:54 AM

Originally Posted by MeathDrog

UEFA - full of sh*t.

The Champions League is a con job. It contains neither all the Champions of Europe, nor is it a League. It is a money making machine for UEFA.

While UEFA frown upon English dominance in Europe, they are still more than willing to accomodate them with easy groups in order to pull more money with more meaningless matches.

Life is mostly about making money. Don't forget it's not only UEFA which makes the money but the clubs as well. The product must sell otherwise they would change the system. People tune in their millions to watch the "con job". I agree that the group stages usually are a bore but until there is a massive turn off at the gates and on tv, the system won't change. World Cup draws and nearly all other draws (Wimbledon) etc are all seeded. The cream is supposed to rise to the top.

It would be much more interesting if the groups were done away with and it went to straight knock out but that won't happen because of the money (which makes the world go round, world go round, world go round...).

**gustavo** · 28/08/2009, 8:21 AM

Originally Posted by MeathDrog

Why are our beloved Big Four all in the top seeding?? Don't FIFA/UEFA want to establish more equilibrium?

Fcuk seedings. Just stick them all in a pot, and if Group A happens to contain Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal, then tough sh*t.

UEFA - full of sh*t.

The Champions League is a con job. It contains neither all the Champions of Europe, nor is it a League. It is a money making machine for UEFA.

While UEFA frown upon English dominance in Europe, they are still more than willing to accomodate them with easy groups in order to pull more money with more meaningless matches.

Last time I checked they weren't "ours" so you could just disregard the fact that the English teams got boring groups and realise theres some fascinating ties in the other groups

**DeLorean** · 28/08/2009, 9:37 AM

Originally Posted by gustavo

Last time I checked they weren't "ours" so you could just disregard the fact that the English teams got boring groups and realise theres some fascinating ties in the other groups

True enough but to be honest but between being a Man Utd fan myself and living with a Liverpool fan the matches we'll be watching live will generally be involving those teams. You're dead right though some cracking ties in the other groups. I'd penciled in a trip to Spain for the end of October so I was hoping Real Madrid to get a handy home game in the Champions League. Well they got a home game alright but it's against AC Milan so I presume tickets would be next to impossible.

**KK77** · 28/08/2009, 10:34 AM

Happy enough with the draw. Nothing to fear and the bonus of not having drawn any of the teams before so makes for great away trips.

**MeathDrog** · 28/08/2009, 2:30 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

Last time I checked they weren't "ours" so you could just disregard the fact that the English teams got boring groups and realise theres some fascinating ties in the other groups

I was more speaking from a devil's advocate's point of view. I know they're not 'ours'.

**elroy** · 31/08/2009, 9:11 PM

Oh man, maybe ive had my head in the sand, but just saw tv3 advertising their autumn schedule and they have CL football again........DISASTER. Some of the best entertainment in last years group stages was not on the pitch but the lads in the studio.

**DeLorean** · 01/09/2009, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by elroy

Oh man, maybe ive had my head in the sand, but just saw tv3 advertising their autumn schedule and they have CL football again........DISASTER. Some of the best entertainment in last years group stages was not on the pitch but the lads in the studio.

TV3 only have Tuesdays, RTE still have the Wednesday games.

**Closed Account 2** · 04/09/2009, 8:49 AM

Hopefully I'll get to go to Dynamo Kiev v Rubin, am in the Ukraine for next 2 weeks, apparently the ticket is around 100UAH - about 10 Euro! - It's the same price for all Dinamo CL games, so if you are in Kiev you could watch Barca or Inter for that price...